Paving block and pavement



July 29, 1941- D. w. LoNGFELLow A2,250,890l

PAVING BLOCK AND PAVEMENT Filed May 3,\ 1940 www Wam Patented July 29,1941 Dwight W. Longfellow,

to Elk River Concret 2 Claims.

` Mypresentinvention provides primarily an improved paving block, andsecondarily, an improved pavement'laid or made upY of these blocks.

Generally stated, the invention consists of the novel devices,combinations of devices, and arrangement of parts hereinafter describedand dened in the claims.

This invention is directed particularly to the provision of an improvedconcrete pavement made up of monolithic paving blocks especially adaptedfor use in stockyards, barns, and the like, where a relatively non-skidsurface for the travel of livestock is desired.

As is well known, livestock such as cattle, hogs, and sheep, will slipand frequently fall on a smooth concrete pavement or the like and thatto prevent such slipping, an irregular surface should be provided.Moreover, the irregular surface should be such that the animals hoofswill not be caught in depressions. Also, the raised surfaces should beof such extent that they will aiord a surface on which the animal may,on occasion, lie with a fair degree of comfort even when slough orbedding is not laid and on which pavement, if bedding is applied, willbe quite frequently held against slipping or sliding.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein likecharacters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig, 1 is a view in perspective showing one of the blocks that areadapted to be laid to form the non-skid pavement;

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the manner in which the blocks arepreferably laid to form the pavement;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Elk River; Minn.,.assignerv e Products Company,` Elk'i" River, a.corporation ef Minnesta AApplication May 3,194o, s1'ria1,fi\rq, asgiailf.,j, v (Cien-41)NV Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4 4 of I Fig.2.

The paving block, indicated as an entirety by the numeral 5, is providedwith a raised portion 6 cast integral therewith. The marginal edge ofthe raised portions 6 are, for an important purpose, bevelled, asindicated at 6', so that when the blocks are laid in overlappingarrangement, there will be drainage passages between the overlappingportions of the blocks, and, moreover, there will be formed channelswith which the hoofs of the animals may engage slightly to preventslipping, note particularly Fig. 3. The numeral 1 indicates the flatupper surfaces of the blocks 5 that extend beyond the raised portions E.

The exact dimensions of the blocks may, of

course, be varied, but there is .anadvantage in making the same insubstantially the following dimensions, to wit;v` length of blockV 16inches, twice that of the standard brick; width of block 4 inches or thesame width as an ordinary brick; depth of block 2 inches or the same asthat of the standard brick; and length of raised portions 6, 8 inches orthe same as that of a standard brick. Moreover, the raised portions 6should terminate about equi-distant from the ends of the block leavingfiat lower surfaces 1 extending 4 inches beyond the ends of the raisedportions.

In forming the pavement shown in Fig. 2, the blocks are laid inoverlapping arrangement so that the raised portions 6 of the blocks ofthe one row will be at the longitudinal center of the raised portion ofan adjacent row, and the ends of the blocks of one row will beapproximately aligned with an end portion of the raised portion 6 of anadjacent row.

By reference to Fig. 2 is shown the preferred manner of laying theblocks, the blocks of a third row, for example, will be aligned withblocks of the first row, and the blocks of the second row will bealigned with the blocks of a fourth row, and so on. This leaves lowersurfaces 'I of the blocks forming channels that extend across theooring,

While the manner of laying the blocks may be varied, they should be laidin an overlapping arrangement so that not only the bodies of the blocksbut the raised portions of the blocks of adjacent rows will overlap.

The improved blocks above described having top or raised intermediatesurfaces or portions, tend to prevent maximum pressure being applied onthe ends of the blocks when the pressure is applied by fairly largeobjects, such as the hooves of cattle, hogs, or sheep. In the improvedarrangement the maximum pressure will be applied to the raised centralor intermediate portions of the blocks and this maximum pressure, thusapplied on the raised surfaces, will be distributed more or lessuniformly over the entire bottom surface of the block, thereby reducingthe bearing pressure at the end of the block, and preventing the tippingof the block which is frequently found where the full weight comes onthe end of an ordinary plain paving block. The improved design givessuiiicient space between the elevated areas so that the hoof of ananimal will come up against the sides thereof and definitely preventslipping. The spaces between the raised areas is suicient to allow thelower levels, as well as the raised surfaces, to be easily ushed ofi andcleaned.

Another advantage is that the pattern of the paving can be varied tosuit different conditions. However, the preferred design is obtained bystaggering the successive rows as they are laid so that their raisedareas of the blocks in the second adjacentrow will be oset one-half the,length of the raised area, Whilethethird row) lines up with the first.

Still another advantage gained in the use ofY Y- t the improved blocksis that the ends of the blocksv being depressed make it difcu1t--or`impossiblefor a hog to get its nose down to the end of. .the

block and loosen it up. Hogs Vhamer-Lbeen `known` to get one block ofthe older form-of pavementgloose and then quickly root up a large areaof the pavent. The blocksbeing-larger than'o`rd-i'' nary bricks can belaid faster and because -of thel structure of the block itself, makes amore permanent pavernenrt. A A f l Wha/ tl claimtise l l; A- pavementmade upl of a multiplicityof the-sides: of thezraised portions of saidblocks are beveled upwardly from the planev of the faces of the endvportions of said blocks, thereby formvof 4the, blocks in adjacent rows,thereby forming zigzag channels extending transversely of the 2.-The-struehiey defined in claim 1 in which ing narrow substantiallyV-shaped drainage passages between overlappng portions of said raisedportions! I ""Dl/VIGHTW. 'LONGFELLOW.

